Rose Mary Grantham

Rose Mary was born in Chandler, AZ to Clara Resner Penrod and Robert Lee Penrod. She is survived by her son Richard Grantham (Louise), daughter Donna Jean (Bill) Tillman, six grandchildren, fourteen great grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. She grew up in Gordon Canyon and Young, AZ. Her first home was a two story cabin in the pines, she attended school in a little two room building. She enjoyed riding horses and working in her garden. Rose Mary married Andrew Grantham in 1938. After that marriage ended, she married Virgil (Duke) Richardson. He was a cowboy and they eventually moved to a ranch on the Blue. Their summer range was on the Campbell Blue up on top by Hannagan Meadows. Later they moved to Alpine, AZ and managed the Alpine Cabins and also a girl’s ranch in Alpine. In 1956 Rose Mary moved to Mesa and then to Phoenix where she worked as a waitress while going to beauty school, graduating at the age of 40. She worked in Phoenix and Payson as a hairdresser. While living in Payson she learned to play golf and it was something she thoroughly enjoyed. She loved to travel and traveled all over the US including Alaska & Hawaii. She also visited Canada, Ireland, Hungary, Scotland, Great Britain, Germany & Mexico. Rose Mary moved to Sierra Vista in 1993 to live with Richard and Louise Grantham, her son and daughter-in-law. She was an expert at knitting and crocheting and made afghans for her family and friends. She enjoyed the ladies group and playing golf at Pueblo del Sol Country Club. In the fall of 1987 she moved to the Arizona Pioneer’s Home in Prescott, AZ, where she resided until her death. From Rose Mary: I was born Rose Mary Grantham, March 27, 1920 in Chandler, AZ at the home of my Resner grandparents. My parents were Clara Senora Resner, the daughter of a sheep herder and Robert Lee Penrod, a cowhand that worked Ranches in the Pleasant Valley area. Andy Grantham said, “Robert Penrod was over 6 feet tall and sat a horse ramrod straight, he was also a good hand at Poker.” I had an older brother Robert Lee Penrod, Jr. and a younger sister Lily Mae. I have childhood memories of living at Gordon Canyon. The house was a two story log cabin in the pines. We had a Forest Service phone. I remember when lightning struck the barn and I helped get the horses out. I helped mother work in the garden and with canning. There was always a quilt out to quilt. I started school at Gordon Canyon. It had two rooms. The teacher lived in one side. We all rode horses to school. In the second grade the school closed. The family moved to Young. We lived in a small wood house with a big barn, surrounded by farm land. We walked three quarters of a mile to school. We had good neighbors; some of them farmed, others had cattle ranches and some worked at a saw mill a few miles out of town. Their names were Webb, Allen, Hunt, Waldrips, Young, Peace, Haught, Gillett, and Bowman. At the age of 9, Robert and Clara divorced. Later Clara married Jesse Andrew Clark and then came three sons, Jesse Ambrose, Thomas Isaac, and Denzel Bert Clark. About every three months we went to Globe and mother would take us to JC Penny to buy clothes and we would also shop at Woolworths for things. Then we would go to the drug store for a cherry coke and ice cream. I liked that store the best. We would swim in Cherry Creek. There was a waterfall that would flow through a cut. We could climb up and dive from the rocks. Another place was Haigler Creek. We could go fish, swim, and catch tadpoles. When I was older, we’d go to the Salt River. My brother Robert would rent a motor boat. We’d go a long way down and then turn back. Sometimes we’d cut the motor and fish. After Robert married he bought a boat and we would all meet at Roosevelt Lake and water Ski. As a young girl I remember many visits to Dad’s sister Mary Allenboughs’. We would go to the garden, gather vegetables, and take them into the house. I would help her put them up for winter. Everyone had a pantry full of homemade canned food. Sometimes Aunt Mary and I would saddle up the horses and ride down to the Bowman’s to pick apples. She would visit and I’d play with Bill and Sis. She taught me how to sew and make cookies. I liked Western Music. It was fun to go dancing on Saturday Nights and dance to the fiddle and guitars. I graduated from the 8th grade at the Young School. I then went to Aunt Mary and Uncle Charlie Allenbough’s, who were by then living in Payson. I attended Payson High School. After school years, I went back to Pleasant Valley and worked for the Spurlocks. I met Andrew Richardson Grantham there. After our courtship, we were married in Globe June 4, 1938. Levi and Mary Grantham were with us as witnesses. Bob (John Shelton) Grantham talked us into going to Rock Station at Winslow. Other ranches we worked at were ranches close to Meteor Crater: the Armon Ranch and Dripping Springs Ranch out of Christmas, AZ. At the ranches I cooked, cleaned and washed for the ranch hands, did ranch chores including riding horseback and working cattle. I loved to ride. Most times there wasn’t electricity (maybe a generator), or running water. Andy worked for a time at the mine in Miami as a watchman. Rick (Richard Don) was born in Miami, April 12, 1943. Aug 11, 1943, Andy went to Holbrook, AZ and enlisted in the US Army. He was sent to Louisiana for training. Rick and I stayed with Andy’s sister Elizabeth. Later we joined him for 5 months. We lived in barrack-style housing in the evening. We would all bring out what food rations we had and cooked and visit together. Rick and I left here and went to California. I worked in an aircraft factory with other Army wives. We took turns taking care of our children and working. Andy was discharged early because of illness. That was when we went to Dripping Springs. Rick would ride the horse in the corral for hours at a time. In 1947 we were living in Tempe. Andy went to work for a friend that bought into a butane co. (Matlock Gas). Jeanne (Donna Jean) was born in Mesa. When Jeanne was 2½ we moved to Casa Grande. I worked in a small café there and Andy worked at Matlock Gas. The marriage ended about this time. I met and married Duke (Virgil Luther) Richardson. He was a cowboy working at the cattle sales lot. We moved to Morenci where he worked in the mine machine shop (he hated the loud constant noise). He took a job running a ranch on the Blue. We had dances, card parties, and potlucks. Mrs. Hanes taught Rick and Jeanne in the one room school across the river. Our summer range was on the Campbell Blue, up on top by Hannagan Meadows. I hated cooking on the old wood stove. I always burned my bread. After the owner’s house burned down we moved to Alpine. Duke worked for the Forest Service. We moved into the Alpine Cabin office/home while managing and cleaning all 6 cabins. I worked as a waitress at the Sportsman Café next door. We then bought 80 acres south of town. We had a girl’s ranch there one summer. I continued to work at the café. On school days with Rick and Jeanne, I would drive to the saw mill, by us, and pick up several of the boys, load them in our white station wagon, even in the back. Lots of mud got carried into the car. In 1956, I left with Rick and Jeanne and moved to Mesa then to Phoenix. Rick returned to live with Duke. He attended and graduated from Round Valley High. I worked at a Mexican café nights while going to beauty school, graduating at the age of 40. I worked in a beauty shop in South Phoenix. I belonged to a horse club there. I also learned to play of golf at that time. I married J. V. Jones. His daughter Janiene was 12 years old at that time. I knew him from Young. We lived in San Antonio and then in Globe. I moved alone to Payson in 1974. I worked at The Lemon Tree Beauty Shop, until I retired at the age of 72. In Payson I visited Aunt Dona (Clara’s sister) and enjoyed all her Ajo friends. I renewed many old friendships (my dear Wilma), and played lots of golf. Wilma and I joined the Grasshopper Golf Club and golfed all over the state of AZ and beyond. I loved to travel. Some of my trips were all over the US, including Alaska and Hawaii. I also visited Canada, Ireland, Scotland, London, Hungry, Germany, and Mexico. I played a golf tournament in Hawaii and won a crystal bowl. I figured that bowl cost me about $2,400. After I retired, Rick and Louise invited me to share their home with them. I lived there for the next 15 years. I still enjoyed golfing, and other activities; sewing, knitting, crocheting, traveling and visiting family and spending time with my 6 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. (She now has four great-great grandchildren.) In 2009 I moved to the Arizona Pioneer Home. Memories from Jeanne: Mom always worked hard at providing for her family. Mom was always frugal with her money. She made most of our clothing, beautiful western shirts, dresses, and curtains and other decorative items. One year she made many shoe bags for the golfers in her club. At Christmas she would knit sweaters, crochet pretty boxes, or Christmas decorations. I think the last thing she sewed were aprons for everyone in the family, including some cousins. As a little girl she would put ringlets in my hair. I didn’t like them, but looking back, they were cute in pictures. She always kept a neat clean home and was a good cook. I was told she was a good waitress. Mom donated and helped with many charities. Memories from Rick: Mom was always a hard worker, working cattle, getting fire wood, gardening, you name it, she would do it. If you needed anything, she would help if she could. This information came from writings by Rose Mary and interviews Jeanne had with her while mom was staying with her. Rick made the booklet with a little bit of unprofessional editing.